


Talk To Me About Tree Law

by Firebull



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Banter, First Meetings, Getting Together, Lawyer Peter Hale, M/M, Sort Of, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Werewolf Reveal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firebull/pseuds/Firebull
Summary: Peter knew exactly how he would meet his soulmate. He wasprepared. But nothing could prepare him for Stiles.
Relationships: Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 16
Kudos: 370
Collections: Secret Steter BFFs





	Talk To Me About Tree Law

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bunnywest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunnywest/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know this is missing the Enemies-to-Lovers part of this particular prompt, but this way just felt the most natural. Hope you still like it!

Peter had always known that this day would come. He'd been dreading it since the he first understood what the words of his arm meant. He just never expected for it to be this particular day. Not when he was running late to a pack meeting already. Not when he already spend the half a day trying to explain to a couple that no, they couldn't just go around cutting down their neighbors trees like that. It was like no one ever heard about tree law.

And then he got hit by a car. 

Peter groaned. More in annoyance of his suit being dirty than anything else. His body was healed before the young man even got out of the blue jeep. He was taller than Peter, barely. Clumsier though, as he had almost landed on his face while he climbed out of his jeep. And what a pretty face it was. But pretty didn't mean intelligent. He was reminded of his clients. This guy probably didn't know what tree law was either and Peter so wasn't ready to deal with another one of those today.

Not even when his mouth already quickly fired off the words Peter knew so well. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry I hit you with my ca-" He stopped dead in his tracks as Peter stood up. His eyes flew over Peter's form, searching for a wound. "Wait... why aren't you even injured?"

Peter dusted himself off. "Genetics." Peter watched the young man's eyes widen in realization. Realization that quickly turned into disbelief. 

"Really now?"

"Yes."

Eyes narrowed into slits. "Really?"

"Yes." Peter rolled his eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me. I got places to be." He didn't wait for an answer. Just started walking away. Thankfully the vet clinic wasn't much further.

"Places- Hey! Wait a minute! Your my-"

"Soulmate. But that doesn't change anything."

"How about about a meeting at another time then?"

"Not interested."

A muttered "so rude" was his only answer.

Peter smirked to himself. Rude indeed.

* * *

The rest of the pack was already assembled when he arrived. Maps were spread out over tables as Deaton mixed together powders.

Cora looked him up and down. "Why is your suit so dirty? It's almost as if you rolled your way here."

"Don't say such stupid things," Laura grinned. "We both know his suit isn't expensive enough for that."

"That's not it. I got hit-" He cut himself off, but judging by the way everyone perked up it was too late.

"Could it be? Oh my god! You finally met your soulmate!" Laura screamed.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Somewhat."

"Oh, we should invite them over for dinner," Talia said, clasping her hands together as she already made plans.

"Can we please stay focused on the problem at hand?" Peter said as he tapped one of the maps.

"Planning your soulmate's first meal with the family is very much a problem at hand, uncle Peter," Derek chimed in, ever the helpful soul.

Peter hated them all so much. 

"He probably doesn't even know about tree law," he muttered to himself.

* * *

Peter got a row of texts on his private phone a few days later.

_hey! it's stiles, your soulmate, the one that hit you with his jeep  
i know you said that you didn't want to meet and tbh if our roles were reversed i would've said the same thing  
but i was thinking that now that you had some time to cool off about the whole "getting run over" thing  
that we could get to know each other better  
meet you at the burger station saturday noon?  
p.s. i know all about tree law ;)_

What a little shit. But Peter couldn't deny that he was curious. Mostly about how he got his damn number. And about the tree law stuff. But mostly about the number.

* * *

The burger station was a horrid place. The air heavy with grease and the spice of the different sauces. Stiles already sat in a booth. Curly fries and a coke on the table in front of him. Peter joined him, putting his to go cup on the table. He took in Stiles more carefully this time. He was much broader than Peter had initially assumed. His eyes shone in the sunlight, almost made him think that Stiles was a beta. But no. His smell was painfully human. 

"How do you know my number?"

"Straight to business, huh?"

Peter raised a brow expectantly.

Stiles rolled his eyes. "Your face is everywhere. How could I possibly _not_ know your number?"

"We both know that my work number is on those posters. I want to know how you got my _private_ number."

"You...left...your card on my dad's desk?"

Which desk- Oh. _Oh_. Of course his soulmate was the son of the sheriff. Because nothing was ever easy. 

"And how do you know that I like it when people know tree law is?"

"Cora mentioned you talking about it." He waved around a fry. "Of course not that directly more in a 'I want to kill Jackson as much as Peter wants to kill his clients who refuse to understand tree law'-way."

"That does sound like her," Peter nodded. "She's always hated Jackson."

"He does make it his personal mission to annoy as many people as possible."

"So I take it you looked up tree law afterwards."

"No such thing. I've known tree law for a few years now. Had to look it up when our neighbor cut down one of our trees."

"Oh?" 

"Yep," a dangerous grin stretched Stiles' lips. "See we had this oak tree."

Peter leaned forward. This was going to be good. "And?"

"And over the years it grew in a way that threw some shade on the neighbor's house which 'ruined their aesthetic' or whatever. So they decided to take matters into their own hands."

Oh god.

"One day we got back home after a well spend father's day to find only a stump left."

Oh no.

"It dissolved in an argument and in the end they told us that we should sue them." A dark look entered Stiles' and suddenly Peter knew exactly why they were soulmates. "So we did."

Oh yes.

"Turns out cutting down an oak like that, one that's about a hundred years old on top of it, leads to very, _very_ big fines."

"I can only imagine," Peter said with a grin. "What did you do with that much money?"

"Paid off some medical debt. Got the jeep fully taken care of. But most of it is still there for bad times. Or if I ever go to college."

"You're not sure?"

"I don't know what to do with my life at all," Stiles admitted. "Sure, I always wanted to be an officer like my dad and I already completed all of the training. I just don't know if that's what I want to do for the  
rest of my life."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. It doesn't need to be anytime soon. You're barely a few years out of high school some people don't know what they want to do until they're in their 40s or older."

Stiles smiled softly at him. "Thanks."

Peter didn't know what to do now. Both of their heartbeats loud in his ears. So he quickly moved on. "Well, as lovely as this was, I'm not really interested in dating someone who doesn't even watch where  
he's driving."

"I _do_ watch where I'm driving." Peter looked at him in disbelief. "I do! I did drive directly to where I was watching."

"You were watching me?"

"What can I say? Those pants make your ass look great. Thought about wanting to tap that."

"So you hit me because you were horny?" Peter fought down a smug smile.

Stiles shrugged. "Kinda."

"How would you like it if I rammed you ass with a car?"

"You can do whatever you want with my ass." He popped a fry into is mouth.

Peter hated the sliver of heat that pooled in a region he'd rather have unaffected. The slight smell of arousal didn't make ignoring it any easier. "You shouldn't offer something you can't deliver."

"Oh, I can deliver alright." Stiles grinned. "Anyway, about that 'genetics' comment that I got written on my arm." 

Peter's stomach dropped. This wasn't a topic he wanted to talk about, especially not out in the open.

"I've been doing some research and-"

Peter was saved by the sound of an incoming message. It was Talia asking him to meet her in his office. He never both loved and hated his sister as much as he did in that moment. "It seems that I got an important meeting to get to." He quickly grabbed his stuff. "Interesting talking to you, Stiles."

Clearly he wasn't as prepared to meet his soulmate as he thought. Then again, he doubted anyone could prepare for Stiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest should come in the next day or two, depending on work.
> 
> Also don't go around cutting down trees before checking the tree law in your country. The fines depend on age, species and number of trees and can add up to a sum somewhere between a few hundred thousand to over a million dollars. Even if it's a tree in your own yard in case of it being a protected species. In California you're not allowed to touch oak trees under any circumstance except if you got a permit (which can be pretty hard to get). You're not even allowed to trim out any dead wood.


End file.
